


Influences

by Lucigoosey_The_Lightbringer



Series: Renegades (Steven Universe: Homeworld AU) [6]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Affection, Berry is a good friend, Berry is bad at feelings but she's getting better with it, Best Friends, Developing Friendships, Epic Friendship, Fluff, Friendship is Magic, Gen, Good Influences, Homeworld au, Hugs, I Am My Mom Gone Wrong, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Male-Female Friendship, Memory Loss, Memory Loss Mention, Not Shippy, One Shot, Past Character Death, Platonic Female/Male Relationships, Platonic Relationships, Renegades Steven Universe AU, SU Homeworld AU, Sad and Happy, Steven Gets A Hug, Steven Universe is a good friend, fluff and comfort, just putting that out there, learning how to express affection, mostly happy, platonic fluff, post-IARQ, talking about feelings, this is purely platonic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-14
Updated: 2020-09-14
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:47:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,134
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26455126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lucigoosey_The_Lightbringer/pseuds/Lucigoosey_The_Lightbringer
Summary: "That's what… friends do, right?" Berry grimaced, closing her eyes. "They change each other. That's… what those influences are. Those people that come into our lives, whether it be for years, or whether it be for just a moment in time. Those are friends, and they change us all."| Post-IARQ (I Am Rose Quartz.)
Relationships: Steven Universe & Berry, Steven Universe & Original Gem Character(s)
Series: Renegades (Steven Universe: Homeworld AU) [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1918204
Comments: 30
Kudos: 39





	Influences

"Staring isn't going to make her reform, y'know."

Steven kept his gaze on the gem for a moment, arms crossed over the table and his chin resting on the backs of his hands. He didn't respond to Berry immediately, nor did he acknowledge that she was even beside him yet. He just frowned, staring blankly at Peridot's gem. She'd been poofed for three whole days, and hadn't reformed yet. Her gem hadn't even pulsed, hadn't even offered a glimmer. He was starting to wonder if she would ever reform, or if maybe it was better off inside her gem. Maybe she wasn't in so much pain in there. Even so, he couldn't keep his chest from clenching tight with sorrow, and grief. He'd lost Lapis, now he'd lost Peridot. It was cruel, how both of them had been ripped away from him. He thought he'd have a chance to grieve with the green gem, but now he was mourning them both; and he knew it was mostly his fault for not figuring out how to break the news to her a little more gently, but he still despaired. Through his guilt, and the grief, and the pain and confusion that came with it, he despaired.

Finally, the hybrid swallowed and leaned back. Peridot's gem was across the kitchen, resting on a pillow beside the sink. It had been there ever since they'd come back and fixed the place up for her for whenever she reformed. Amethyst originally wanted to put her in the bathroom, but Pearl had butted in saying that she should be somewhere they could watch her, just in case. They didn't know what was going to happen when he reformed, what state she might be in. Naturally, it would be better if they had access to her, in case they needed to calm her down.

"I know." He leaned his head back and turned to glance toward Berry. The Ruby's eyes lingered on the gem, herself, for a moment; she was standing up on one of the stools to see over the counter, her hands pressed over the top of it as she peered at the gemstone through her visor. But she looked over to meet Steven's gaze quickly enough, and the hybrid offered her a tired smile. They were all tired these days, trying to figure out their next steps, counting the seconds and trying to figure out when the Diamonds might finally come. When Blue Diamond might send someone, or when they'd suddenly look up at the sky to see a giant arm ship above their heads. It was stressful, _such is life_ , but they didn't exactly have the luxury to not be stressed right now.

Berry turned and sank down into the stool she was standing on, turning her back to the counter - and on the gemstone resting on the pillow. Steven looked toward it again for just a moment longer before he turned away, himself, to face the Ruby instead. He let his legs swing slightly before bringing them up to cross them over the stool as much as he could, biting his cheek. "Your hair's growing again," the Ruby noted after a moment, and Steven paused. He lifted a hand faintly to run it through his hair, biting the inside of his cheek. It hadn't grown any longer in the past few days, but it was still far down past his shoulders by now. A slice from his scythe would fix that easily, but he didn't feel like going through the trouble of summoning it right then. Maybe he'd give it a nice chop in a day or so, when he was a little less exhausted. "Looks weird." Berry flicked her gaze toward him, and Steven cracked a knowing smile back at her.

"You're weird," he retorted, turning to lean back against the counter and letting his arms fall into place behind him, elbows half-propped up against the edge of the counter as he leaned back.

He looked ahead, to where Greg was sleeping on the couch. Snoring away. Pearl was sitting on the floor in front of the couch, with Amethyst half-propped up against her while they watched the television. Steven wasn't sure where Garnet was right then, but he only swept his gaze around for a few seconds to look for her before he turned his attention back to Berry. He knew the others were either in the training arena, or… outside somewhere, maybe? Lemon Lime tended to stick around the house, but Candy had been trying to coax him out more and more, and Berry often practically shoved him out the door herself, insisting that he 'needs to go out' and she wasn't going to let him 'drown in sorrow and angst' the whole time they were there. As for the Jaspers, Agate and Sage, they were either in the training arena or working on constructing a battle plan for whenever the Homeworld gems decided to rear their ugly heads once more.

The hybrid heaved a gentle sigh, glancing at Berry. "How're you holding up?"

Berry rolled her eyes. "You keep asking me that like one of these days you expect me to break down on your shoulder," she commented idly, looking down to slide off of the stool. She fell to her feet, steadying herself, and arched an eyebrow in his direction before turning to the door. "Which I'm not going to do, by the way, because there's nothing for me to cry over. She'll reform." The Ruby paused, taking a few steps forward, and glanced back over at him again. The expectant look in her eyes was all he needed to see for him to push himself off of the stool, somewhat reluctantly, and walk over to join her as she opened the door to leave the house.

"I know." He reached over to hold the door open while she walked through, and waved at Pearl and Amethyst over his shoulder before he followed, turning to click the door shut behind him. "But y'know I just like to make sure. I know you've been worried about her, whether you'll admit it or not…" He trailed off, turning to follow her down the stairs, as the little Ruby only offered a scoff and turned away from him to head off again. "Hey, you can't deny it, can you? I think we've all had enough denial to last us a lifetime anyway, so…" He cracked a tired smile, quickening his pace briefly to keep up with her. Berry let him fall into step beside her, but she still spared him a rueful glance in response before she jerked her chin up and swept her gaze around the beach. "You can admit you care about her, y'know," the hybrid mumbled. "I care about her a lot, too."

"Shut up," Berry sighed, and he did. He rolled his eyes, but he fell silent, looking down and adjusting his shorts before lightly pulling his shirt up to reveal his gem, twisting and tying so that it would stay in place without falling. He was okay with having it covered as long as he was inside, but he much preferred giving it room to… 'breathe' when he was outside, in the heat. The hybrid didn't handle heat well, and this planet seemed to get hotter and hotter day by day. "I think I'm going… what's the term? 'Stir crazy'?" The Ruby grunted, walking forward again. Steven brushed his hair back and followed her, somewhat curious. "Being stuck inside all day… I can't believe I'm saying this, but I almost miss Homeworld. I don't have any tools here, or…"

"You didn't bring your stuff with you?" Steven stared at her for a moment, startled. Now that he thought about it, yeah, he realized that she _didn't_ have any of her tools, or anything to work with.

It made sense now, the fact that she'd been trying to keep herself busy with Garnet, or Peridot.

Berry offered a one-shouldered shrug, crossing her arms over her chest. "No, we didn't have that much time. I brought the tools I was using to work on the ship, but most of my technology and enhancers were confiscated after we were poofed. Turns out I'm a 'danger to Homeworld' and my intelligence and skill could 'just as easily be used against them as for them' and all that other crap. I'll tell you, Blue Diamond is a real piece of work. If it weren't for Yellow, I don't think I'd have been able to finish my progress on the ship…" She trailed off, and Steven let out a quiet hum of agreement - just before Berry wrinkled her nose, shook her head, and added bitterly, "not to say that I like the pebble or anything, because I most certainly do _not_ like Yellow Diamond, but her reasoning skills are… better than I assumed they would be when it comes down to it. I suppose we're not the only ones who've gotten sick of Blue's obnoxious behavior."

Steven huffed out an airy laugh, looking ahead for a moment. "No kidding." He paused, running his tongue over his lips, and sighed. "I think Yellow's nice. I mean, she's still a Diamond," he added defensively at the look that Berry shot him, "and I don't exactly expect her to like, turn against Homeworld to help us or anything, but I think… y'know, with what Agate said and all. And I remember talking to her. I think, just a little bit, maybe I really did get through to her…" He trailed off for a moment, looking down at the sand beneath his feet as he walked. He had to remind himself to look out for the creatures called 'crabs', so not to step too close to one of them. He only made that mistake once… "I don't know. I don't think she's as bad as Blue is."

"... No, I guess not," Berry admitted begrudgingly, pursing her lips. She looked like she was sucking on a lemon, like the admission pained her in some way. Steven couldn't help but be amused - he didn't know what Berry had against Yellow specifically, but since she was at least willing to admit that she wasn't as bad as Blue, it couldn't be anything that serious. Steven knew what Berry was like when she really couldn't stand someone, and with Yellow, it just seemed like someone who was trying to hold a grudge for something and was steadily failing at it anyway. Berry was fierce as could be, and she could yell and scream and rage all she wanted, but Steven knew she didn't really have a dangerous facet in her gem. He knew she was soft deep down, to her very core, and unless someone gave her a really good reason to hate them… then she'd either consider them a 'friend', 'acquaintance', or just a nuisance. She either really liked you, was neutral toward you, or completely, absolutely hated you. Yellow seemed to be the only grey area for that, but Steven could see that steadily shifting. "But I still can't stand her anyway. She's not a bad person- she's not even a bad Diamond. But she's not _my_ Diamond," Berry added, gritting her teeth, and Steven furrowed his eyebrows. "So I'm not too fond of her myself."

"That's fair." Steven shrugged, rolling his shoulders back and heaving out a gentle, steady sigh. Right then, walking with Berry, he was almost content - for the first time in days, honestly. Being around her always seemed to relax him somehow, and he seemed to have the same affect on her, if the way her shoulders drooped after a moment was any indication. "I mean, I get it. Blue's not _my_ Diamond…" He trailed off for a moment. "Not really. And I'm definitely not fond of _her_."

"Coming from you," Berry huffed out a chuckle much to Steven's surprise. "That's _big."_

The hybrid considered that for a moment, but ultimately couldn't keep back a laugh of his own. "Isn't it? I mean, I know I've had gems I dislike… Amethysts," he recalled, smile fading slightly. "But I don't think I've ever hated anybody until Blue. Not that I remember, at least. I was trying so hard not to hate her, but…" He ran his tongue over his lips, closing his eyes for a moment. "There's not really… it doesn't matter anymore. After everything she's done, it's hard _not_ to. And the really screwed up thing is, I don't even think it matters whether I like her or not. Whether I _want_ to help her, or change her mind or whatever. I don't think someone like her _can_ change." The hybrid fell silent for a moment, then let out a quiet grunt through his teeth, looking away. "And I don't really care enough about her at this point to want to find out if she can anyway."

"Everyone is capable of changing." Berry paused for a moment, glancing over at him. "But not everybody is… worthy, and not everybody wants to. Everyone _can_ , of course. Anybody can. You could change. You did change. I changed. Lemon Lime changed. Everybody changed. She changed," she added begrudgingly. "She went from an evil murderer to… an evil murderer with anger issues and a newfound thirst for vengeance. It's a little change, but still a change. Some people change for the better, and some people… change for the worst." She fell silent, thinking.

Steven furrowed his eyebrows slightly, looking up at the sky. He thought those words over for a moment, studying the clouds. "Do you believe a person can help someone change… even if that person doesn't want to at first?" He finally asked, glancing back over at her. At the somewhat quizzical, hesitant expression she shot him, he shook his head and added quickly, "it's not a Blue Diamond thing, don't worry. It's a… I think it's a 'me' thing," he admitted, biting the inside of his cheek and tilting his head back slightly. "I've just… I've heard it said that people 'come into our lives for a reason', bringing something we must learn… and we're led to those who help us most to grow…" He trailed off, hesitating. "If we let them, they can… change us. And maybe we can change them a little, too." He ran his tongue over his lips, looking away. "I've heard that people influence us. I just… wanna know if _you_ believe that… people influence us."

Berry didn't reply to him for a while, but he felt her gaze lingering on him after that as they walked. Then, finally, she spoke, a little quieter, "do _you_ believe a person can help someone change, even if that person doesn't want to at first?" Steven paused, looking back toward her. Berry met his gaze carefully, searching his face cautiously. "Do _you_ believe in influences?"

"I don't know." Steven hesitated. "I want to. But I tried so hard with Blue, and she still didn't…" He trailed off, tilting his head slightly to crack his neck, and looked away again. "I used to believe I could make a difference, but there's so many people I couldn't help, including her. Her, and Jasper, and…" The hybrid shook his head and let his shoulders droop for a moment, looking back down at the sand with a frustrated huff. "I like to believe people can change. I mean, I _do_ … I do, but now I don't think it has anything to do with influence. It's like you said…" He shrugged, looking back up toward the sky. "They have to want to change, don't they?"

"They do," Berry replied quietly. "But that's the point, hybrid. Those people you say we're led to…" Her gaze lingered on him for a moment longer before she looked away again, ducking her head and glancing to the side, toward the ocean. "Sometimes they're needed to help someone else want to change. Sometimes someone doesn't know they want to change, until they meet somebody that… that makes them want to. Until somebody shows them that they _can."_ At this, Steven blinked, looking over at her. Berry still wasn't looking at him, her gaze fixed as intently on the ocean as the little Ruby could manage. Steven just stared at her, eyebrows furrowing silently, trying to understand. "I don't believe anything happens without a reason," she mumbled after a moment. "To answer your question. I believe there's a reason for everything. Even the people that come into our lives. Even the ones that leave. And, yeah… I believe in influences."

Steven stared at her for a while, walking along silently beside her. But he smiled, after a moment; Berry was honest with him, and he took what she said to heart more often than not. He wasn't sure how to feel about the expression on her face, the quiet tone she spoke with. Ever since they'd arrived on Earth, the hybrid had seen her mood slowly shift. He'd seen her… calm down and settle, he'd seen her relax and quiet down. He'd heard her speaking more quietly and calmly with Lemon Lime, he'd seen her more relaxed than he'd ever seen her on Homeworld. "You said… you changed," he said suddenly, and Berry paused. "... did I… influence that?"

He watched Berry duck her head a little more, watched her gaze flick toward him. He met her eyes steadily, furrowing his eyebrows a little more as he watched her; the Ruby seemed to hesitate, looking torn as she flicked her gaze over his face. When she finally responded, begrudgingly, her voice was even lower. "Well, there's the question, isn't it?" She asked quietly. "We're led to those who help us most to grow, if we let them… and we help them in return." The Ruby paused, taking a deep breath, and grunted. "So the question is, did I influence you?"

"Yeah," Steven replied without hesitation, without even having to think about that. He watched her blink, looking up at him with something akin to surprise flickering in her eyes. "You did."

Berry stared at him, her eyes widening slightly.

"I mean…" Steven huffed out a sigh. "Who can say if I've been changed for the _better_ , or… for the worst, but… I know I've definitely changed. And I'd like to think it's got less to do with Blue, or memory loss. I like to think it wasn't just my… my _bad_ experiences on Homeworld that changed me, and… I know I definitely wouldn't be the same if you hadn't brought me here, too." The hybrid finally had to look away, unsure how long he could hold her startled gaze. "So, yeah. I… I like to think you did influence me… and whether or not I've changed for the better, I've…" He twitched his shoulders in a hesitant, barely-noticeable shrug. "I've been changed, for good."

Berry was silent as she slowed to a stop, and Steven paused, himself, to turn back to face her again after a moment. The Ruby's expression was unreadable, blank and processing, as she tilted her head back to look up at him. Her gaze locked on his, and didn't move away again.

"Too much?" He asked after a moment, gazing down at her and cracking a small smile.

"No," she replied quietly. "No." The Ruby paused, taking a deep breath, and lowered her chin, eyes narrowing up at him in silence for a few more seconds. "... I know I've changed, hybrid. As much as I hate Homeworld, and the Diamonds…" She trailed off, shaking her head furiously. Her curls bounced as she moved, and that one tendril that hung down in her face swayed side to side mercilessly from the harsh movement. "I wouldn't have tried to leave, not before… _you_. I told you when I first met you that I was content with how things were, even if it wasn't ideal. I had a job, I had… somewhat of a purpose. I had a life, even though it wasn't a very good one." She hesitated for a moment, a somewhat uncertain expression finally crossing her face. Steven stared at her until it flitted away, carefully concealed and tucked away until she continued again. "I never… believed Homeworld could change. But I never believed I could change, either. At least, I never believed there would be anything… whether it was fusion, or freedom, or whatever it was, I never believed there would be anything I cared about enough to risk my… our…" Berry's gaze trailed to the side, back toward the beach house, way off in the distance now. Steven followed her gaze; it didn't take long to understand. "Our lives for, but I was wrong. That…" She heaved out a sigh. "That one's on you. That changed because of _you."_

Steven stared at her, as she ducked her head again and lifted a hand, trying to smooth her hair back a little, but eventually letting it hang down in front of her face again. Past that one dangling tendril in front of her visor, she peered up at him through narrowed eyes, and grimaced slightly. "But who can say if I've been changed for the better…" She trailed off, and heaved out a sigh, lifting her head again and looking away. "... I do believe that I've been changed for the better."

"Yeah?" Steven gazed at her, letting a small smile tug at his lips.

"That's what… friends do, right?" Berry grimaced, closing her eyes. "They change each other. That's… what those influences are. Those people that come into our lives, whether it be for years, or whether it be for just a moment in time. Those are friends, and they change us all."

Steven stared at her for a moment, searching her gaze carefully as her eyes opened again, thinking her words over in silence. He was quiet when he spoke, quiet and steady, and gentle. "I'm your friend?"

The look Berry offered him was almost scathing, but it withered away into something else after a moment. Not quite the vulnerability she had displayed toward him before, but something that was more akin to a kind of thoughtfulness. She gazed at him, flickering her eyes across his face rapidly, then leaned back on her feet, lowered her chin, and nodded. "You're… an influence," she replied after a moment, quiet. Her arms folded over her chest again, fingers curling around her gemstone, and she sighed. "And that's as much as I'm willing to say to your face, hybrid."

"I'll take it," Steven replied, his smile widening slightly.

"Good," Berry sighed. She fell silent for a while after that, head lowered, arms crossed. And, after a moment, Steven took a slight step forward, then another. He didn't stop until he had reached her, and she furrowed her eyebrows and looked up at him as the hybrid carefully knelt down in front of her and opened his arms up, a clear invitation for a hug. Truthfully, he wasn't really expecting one - he was expecting her to scoff or back away or glare at him until he stood up again, and then the mood would have effectively been lightened and they would keep walking, keep talking about whatever it was they would talk about, wherever their conversations took them. For them, they could go on for hours, just talking, not really needing a specific topic. He intended to stay out with her for as long as he could just like that, just because he wanted to. Because they both needed the time away, to be able to clear their heads for a while and think.

But… she took the hug.

Of course, she rolled her eyes, and she scoffed, and she grumbled. But then, when he was about to drop his arms and pull back, she walked forward and wrapped her arms around him. Unlike the first time, he was able to close his arms around her in response, albeit still _startled_. Her hug was as warm as the first one had been, as he remembered. She didn't say anything to him, but he felt her head bury into his shoulder after a moment, letting the hug linger briefly.

Cracking a smile, the hybrid rested his head against hers. "Thank you for being my friend," he mumbled after a moment, and Berry heaved out an almost irritated-sounding sigh in response.

"Like there was a choice…" She sighed again. "I'm stuck with you, aren't I?"

"Yeah." Steven huffed out a laugh, closing his eyes. "Whatever you'd like to believe, B." She huffed out a laugh into his shoulder, and Steven couldn't stifle another chuckle, smiling slightly.

With his eyes shut, content and relaxed, he didn't notice his gem glowing.

She didn't seem to notice hers glowing, either.

**Author's Note:**

> Look out for part 6~


End file.
